Hey guys.  I am in the market for my first shotgun.  However, because I've bought 3 handguns since May, I have limited funds.  I saw that Dicks has the Maverick 88 on sale for Black Friday at $169.99.  But I also saw the Savage 320 for $179.99.  I have read that for the most part the Mossberg is a decent gun but havent heard much at all about the Savage.  Any thoughts?

Keep saving......Remington 870 or Mossy 500.  Look for a good used one if possible. Don't like either. They're mostly truck guns.  Something to beat on and not worry about.  If it goes bang then its GTG.  What are your intended uses for it?

 

Mossy 51482 Combo at TJ's in Bayville, thru Gun Genie, 380 out the door.  I know its almost twice the price but two barrels 28"VR and 18.5"CB.  I'm sure if you look a little deeper you could find something to fit.  Good Luck.

It'll be strictly for HD and fun at the range.  I really appreciate your input and I agree with you.  But I'm not saving, Its all I'm budgeting for a shotgun because i want to start an AR build after the New Year.  So I'm definitely getting one of these two.  Just looking for some help deciding which one is all. 

I would suggest a Mossberg 500 12gauge, specifically the 54169 combo kit.  It comes with 2 barrels... 18.5" (no choke smooth bore) and 28.5" (3 chokes included.)  The latter works pretty well at killing clays.   The former is obvious for home defense usage.  It's bit more $ up front but you get basically 2 shotguns in one.  Also since you can change barrels you can put ANY barrel designed for it on there for specific needs... like say a rifled barrel if you decide you want to shoot slugs at some point.

 

You should also consider coming up for the next Shotgun Shootout.  I know it's not a small hike from Toms River, but you'll have an opportunity to shoot a wide range of shotguns then.

As others have recommended, you can't go wrong with either a Remington 870 or Mossy 500.

 

I have a 50+ year old 870 that to this day still functions flawlessly, 50,000+ rounds and not a hick-up (well maybe on a few of my reloads, but I was 10 then).

Also take a look at the H&R/NEF pardner pump on sale for the same price as the maverick 88. I was in the same situation a few years ago wanting a reliable no-frills pump shotgun but didn't have that much $$ to spend. I settled on the H&R/NEF pardner pump which is from my understanding a remmington 870 clone. I probably only put about 300 shells through it so far but it goes bang everytime. To me it feels like it's built like a rock, very sturdy. I guess try to handle each of the shotguns before you make a decision to purchase.

As an FYI, here's the Savage 320 for $175 shipped. You'll have to pay a transfer fee on top of it, but it's slightly offset by not having to pay tax, and not having to fight off hordes of people on Thanksgiving Day.

 

http://www.slickguns.com/product/savage-stevens-320-security-12-ga-185-barrel-5-rnds-19999-free-shipping

 

My understanding on the Maverick 88 is that Mossberg 500 aftermarket stuff nearly all fits on the Maverick 88 (I don't own either as of yet, so I don't know this first hand). So if you want to do a bunch of stuff to the gun like change the stock, the Maverick 88 might give you the most options.

The 88 is the 500 with a cross bolt safety vs tang safety (hence trigger groups are not interchangeable). Also the receiver on the 88 is not drilled & tapped for optic mount & no built in sling mount like the 500. Lastly, the forearm is different. Otherwise, same gun.

So, if you want to add an optic, you might want the 500 (or the rem 870).

For an HD gun, the Maverick 88 should cover most of your needs.

My turkey shotgun is a Maverick & I'm hoping to snag a 20ga/20"bbl youth model 88 on Black Friday as a bedroom gun.

Thanks guys. I'm pretty sure that I'm going to go with the Maverick 88.i appreciate everyone's input.